Epiphany 11

Autobiography of a Yogi tells that Paramhansa Yogananda saved a fawn which grew up into a deer and stayed his friend for years.

When the deer became gravely ill, it refused to die. It hung on until one night, it entered Paramhansa's dream, telling him it was ready to continue its journey, but his love was keeping it earthbound. It told him that it loved him, but it was time to let him go.

The next day, a teary-eyed Paramhansa told the deer, "I release you."

That night, the deer died.

...

When their cat Blue was near death but seemed to willfully cling on, author Carmen Richardson Rutlen told her son this story to illustrate that he had to let their beloved go in peace.

... Sometimes you have to release someone so that they can die.

I've learned recently that, sometimes, you have to release someone so that they may live.